Dentists In Unique Position To Identify Domestic Abuse, Activist Group Says
One survey of domestic abuse victims found that over half had visited a dentist when signs of abuse were present, but nearly 90 percent of those individuals weren’t asked about their injuries. An activist group is pushing to get dentists more training so they can better recognize those signs. In other public health news: health disparities between transgender and cisgender Americans, gene editing, sepsis, antibiotics, helmet safety and more.
Stat:
Dentists Are Pushed To Screen Patients For Domestic Abuse
An activist group of dentists and hygienists is pushing the profession to use checkups to screen patients for signs of domestic abuse — and take action to help patients who may be vulnerable...It’s estimated that 70 percent of injuries from abuse are on the head and neck. That can put signs of the abuse front and center for dentists — who, with a twice-annual cleaning, might be seeing some patients more often than a primary care provider. But dentists and hygienists, while well-trained to detect signs of child abuse, often aren’t given extensive training to spot and address signs of intimate partner violence. (Thielking, 5/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Being Transgender In America May Be Hazardous To Your Health, Study Shows
Being transgender in America may be hazardous to your health. A new report in JAMA Internal Medicine characterizes a variety of health disparities between people who are transgender (that is, their gender identity is not the same as their gender at birth) and people who are cisgender (their gender identity matches their gender at birth). Spoiler alert: There are many. (Kaplan, 5/30)
Stat:
CRISPR Stocks Sank On News The Gene Editing Can Veer Off Target. But That's Hardly News
A letter in Nature Methods pointing out potentially dangerous flaws in the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system gave biotech investors a sinking feeling on Tuesday, and stocks in genome-editing companies had the same experience. By the close of trading Editas Medicine had fallen nearly 12 percent, Crispr Therapeutics was down more than 5 percent, and Intellia Therapeutics had plunged just over 14 percent. But the truth was, the concerns outlined in the letter were hardly new. ... To put it plainly, the tool can inadvertently alter DNA in regions of the genome that weren’t targeted for editing. The letter reinforces that this is a problem. (Begley, 5/30)
NPR:
State Rules For Treating Sepsis May Be Risking Lives
Doctors can save thousands of lives a year if they act promptly to identify sepsis, an often lethal reaction to infection. Sometimes called blood poisoning, sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitals. A 4-year-old regulation in New York state compels doctors and hospitals to follow a certain protocol, involving a big dose of antibiotics and intravenous fluids. It's far from perfect — about a quarter of patients still die from sepsis. But early intervention is helping. (Harris, 5/30)
Kaiser Health News:
Handshake-Free Zone: Keep Those Hands — And Germs — To Yourself In The Hospital
Anna Gorman reports: "Dr. Mark Sklansky, a self-described germaphobe, can’t stop thinking about how quickly those little microbes can spread. “If I am at a computer terminal or using a phone or opening a door, I know my hands are now contaminated, and I need to be careful and I need to wash my hands,” said Sklansky, professor of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA." (Gorman, 5/30)
Reuters:
Maryland Joins California In Battling Antibiotic Overuse On Farms
Maryland has become the second U.S. state to pass a law banning the routine use of antibiotics in healthy livestock and poultry, a move aimed at battling the rise of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as "superbugs." Maryland's Keep Antibiotics Effective Act, which aims to end a practice that public health experts say can fuel the spread of superbugs, takes effect on Oct. 1 after Governor Larry Hogan declined to sign or veto it last week. Farmers in Maryland have until Jan. 1, 2018, to comply with the law. (Baertlein, 5/30)
Stat:
Pro-Helmet Forces Are Notching Wins Against Motorcyclists
For two decades, the riders — and their rallying cry of freedom — have often had the upper hand in these battles. Now, though, the public health advocates are gaining traction as more and more evidence emerges that mandating helmet use saves lives. Coalitions of insurance groups, doctors, and accident survivors have beaten back attempts to loosen helmet laws in 10 states this year, including North Carolina and Missouri. They’ve also helped get bills requiring helmets introduced in six states — an uptick over recent years, according to Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which pushes for stronger laws. (Robbins, 5/31)
Chicago Tribune:
Are Video Games Addictive Like Drugs, Gambling? Some Who've Struggled Say Yes
Uncontrollable video game playing is a 21st century affliction in search of an identity. Is it an addiction on its own terms, as many researchers believe? Or is it just a symptom of deeper problems such as depression or anxiety, as other experts insist? Dozens of scientific papers have yet to produce clear answers, and the medical establishment has been equally indecisive, calling it a condition that requires further study before it can be classified as a full-blown psychiatric disorder. (Keilman, 5/30)
